Manmohan Singh

Profession: Indian Prime Minister

Nationality:

Biography: India's first Sikh Prime Minister, Manmohan was also the first since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected for a second full term.

Singh trained as an economist in India and England before teaching and working for the United Nations. In the 1970s Singh became a government advisor, including serving as economic advisor to the Prime Minister V. P. Singh.

In 1991 Singh was picked to be India's Finance Minister by Premier P. V. Narasimha Rao. It was a time of economic crisis and Singh was instrumental in deregulating the Indian economy and reducing state control of the country's finances.

After his party was voted out, Singh served as Leader of the Opposition from 1998-2004 before being selected to be Prime Minister by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in 2004. Under Singh's leadership India continued to reform its economy and financial services, becoming the fastest growing economy in the world.

Singh also sort to strengthen India's anti-terrorist laws, especially after the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. He was re-elected in 2009 and continued his market reforms as well as strengthening the country's ties with such countries as the United States. His final term was marred to some extent by corruption scandals within his government.

Born: September 26, 1932
Birthplace: Gah, Punjab, British India
Age: 91 years old

Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Monkey
Star Sign: Libra